₦airaland Forum

Missnande:
Very helpful thank you. Biko keep it coming so people like us go dey sap put am for our writing.

Lol.. I'll keep trying .

High Cost Estate

Sound
Day
Mothers calling children to hurry for school, cars driving noiselessly through street, bikes coming in once-in-a-while, early morning music, dogs barking. Few intruders in the afternoon, cars cruising, occasional noises from children

Night
Music blasting, faint voices of people arguing, Occasional noises, early silence in the night, car driving in for people that work late into the night.

Sight
Neat roads, flowers here and there; in most cases, houses that look alike, beautiful houses, guards or security, huge gates, high walls, huge dogs, one or two shops

Feel
Cynical people remember graveyard, loneliness, people trying to make friends with one another, arrogance and pride to prove wealth, people classing themselves.

Taste
Cold meat

Smell
Neat, cool air, bad smells from people who keep their waste-bin outside the house.
You can add yours


http://writertain.com/2017/10/03/describing-high-cost-estate/

Creeza:
Awwwn! I love this.
Brings memories alive.

'Ended where it all began.' divepen1 why is this pattern always a sweet way to end stories? thanks for sharing

Lol..
Thanks. Yea oo...

Last time, we made you understand that when exploring a theme in a story you need to fully expand it. However, you can’t fully explain it without knowing what to have a sort of checklists for this theme. Although it is not compulsory for you to fully explore all these in your story. Yet, using this would spice the theme of your story beyond a level you wouldn’t have thought before.

What is the foundation of this theme: there are background history to use of the theme you might have chosen to use in your story. This background knowledge help you understand the theme better while exploring it in your story. If you know what some people have discussed this theme- either in articles or stories- you might be able to write about it flawlessly.

How Does Your Characters Portray This theme: Do they regularly rant about it like the prophets of doom or do they show it in their actions? Many people have always explored the theme of greediness, to try it, you might need your character to portray from another angle.

Who is opposed to this theme: the essence of exploring themes is to show the two sides of a story, and finally pick one. Someone must be in support, while the other person must be against. This would only make the storyline easy to explore. It would cause great conflicts between your characters.

Consequences of people’s opposition: there are consequences to every act we do, whether in a good way or a bad way. So, ensure you have a way to make the consequences of this opposition known.
Explore consequences very well: don’t just tell and the man die. Let us see the consequence from step to step or from places to places.

Why will anyone care: this implies that you have to ask if anyone would be concerned about your theme at this point. But if they won’t be concerned, it is your job to make them feel concerned for the theme. Do you want people to feel bad about ‘the ways ants are being crushed’, then you should take it up by writing a good story about it.

http://writertain.com/2017/10/03/things-to-explore-while-including-theme-in-your-story/

We stared at the torrents of rain as we waited in the uncompleted building. I held my elder sister’s(Jade’s) hand. She in turn touched Olawale’s, Our elder brother’s, hand, but he drew it away. At that moment, my concern was how our mother would tear them to pieces for taking me, a five-year old, on their escapades.

‘ Leave me..’ He snapped.
Jade giggled and wagged her tongue at him. ‘ Hungry! Hungry!’
‘ Mummy, will kill us’, Olawale said.
Jade stared into my eyes and I brightened up. She whooped. ‘ What if we go home in the rain?’
‘ Yea’, I shouted, waving my packet of cheeseball. I glanced at Olawale. He looked away and then winked at my packet of cheeseball.
However, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he glanced at Jade and at my packet of cheeseball.

‘ Ibukun, let us share this cheese ball. I will give you my gala’, she said.
Excitedly, I nodded and gave it to her. She handed it to Olawale, who tore the packet and shared the cheeseballs among us.
Energetically, Olawale shouted, ‘ Let’s go home’.

We entered the rain and headed home, which was a street away. We sang ‘rain, rain go away’ all the way to our house.
That evening, we met Mummy at home and she flogged them terribly. Few days later, they were sent to boarding schools. From there, we all became busy and serious with life.

So fifteen years later, as we sat round a table to celebrate Christmas with mummy, Jade’s son entered the parlour with a packet of cheeseball. I snatched it and shared it among the three of us. Jade chuckled as we began to munch the cheese balls. Tears came to my eyes as we sang ‘ rain rain go away’.


http://writertain.com/2017/10/03/my-packet-of-cheeseball-flash-fiction/

Time travelled between the two of them as she tried to no avail to stop holding her breathe. He swallowed. She blinked.
' Don't even

This is the thread to connect story with 25 words. Let's build something.

6 Words
https://www.nairaland.com/4090282/6-words-chain-collaboration-thread

She looked out of the window

This should be the craziest story thread.. Lol..Let's make it work with just 6 words. Continue from where the last person stopped.

Creeza:
Incredible cover bro... And trust me that competition was 'few' and really '' deep''

im particularly overwhelmed with the cover photo.

Thanks for the comments here and everywhere.

Missnande:
Beautiful!

Gracias.. It's Kuma una work

This book is an anthology of different Nairaland Authors who competed in a competed in Nairaland Writing competition
You can download them in different format.

Please I'm really begging for reviews.. Lol . But please drop it there.

Okadabooks: https://www.okadabooks.com/book/about/be_writertain_chronicles_few_and_deep/15719

Smashwords:

PDF: https://www.smashwords.com/books/download/750359/1/latest/0/0/be-writertained-chronicles-few-and-deep.pdf

Epub: https://www.smashwords.com/books/download/750359/8/latest/0/0/be-writertained-chronicles-few-and-deep.epub

To read online: https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/750359

Other format: b:userContentSwitcherPillmore


Remember to drop a review...

Thanks Creeza
Major Antagonist
Special name: If he/ she has, why? Who calls him or her that name? Nickname: If there is any what is its origin. Does he/ she love that name? Dates Date of birth. Time ( if it is significant) Which celebrity was born that same day How was the weather that day Any major event that happen that day

They moved about in the house walking in trepidation and Greg was assured they were free. That nothing could really hurt them. For crying out loud, this was Nigeria. Nothing like such was capable of entering people's house. Evil forces have boundaries. They don't just appear in house like fools.

In the evening as they got home, while watching movie, Bisi cuddled near him. He moved to kiss her and she brought her head closer. Suddenly, she opened her mouth to spill something green, something acidic. He screamed and tried to jump away. But something held him down. He screamed louder. But the pain was leaking from his head. He shook vigorously and went unconscious.

Rather, he woke into reality. He and Bisi were in a sort of cocoon, but he could still see they were in the house, in the wake of the deadly beast. Baba Jegede or what remained of him lauded on the floor.

Greg's could feel the ashes of his fear in his mouth as his head expanded as if he had just exposed himself to a deadly cold. The monster stared about. He wished to see his back, but the cocoon held him in place, and he heard moaning from the back.

Bisi woke and looked perplexed. ' No. No. This is not my wish'.
The monster looked up as if he was seeing them for the first time. It launched at the cocoon and began to tear at it, but the cocoon must have had the hides of dragon or something stronger because the beast kept rebounding.

Greg's fear then was that it wouldn't be wise for the beast to look at their faces, which had a little cover, but something murky, something Greg would have killed anyone for if they had poured it on his face.

'Bisi shh', the Beast, zombie-like turned towards the voice but met the same obstruction. It yelled, for the first time. And Greg was very sure their neighbours would hear this. Then, someone wise or destined to destroy such horrific beast would come, but no one did come.
' Don't you dare tell me shh... This wasn't the plan. I didn't ask this foolish locket to preserve us. I wanted an escape. Not...'
' Bisi...' Greg called with clenched teeth. The zombie-like creature long at the cocoon again. That was when Greg felt it all along. His hand was near his short. For an absurd reason, he had kept a pocket knife there. That was impossible, he never carried a pocket knife. Then, he remembered that when Chidi fell the other time, a pocket knife fell from him. Greg picked it, but he had to keep it in his pocket to attend to Bisi who had fallen.

That would be a hard work, but there was no hope for the dead. He wasn't dead yet. A man has to stand up for himself. Despite the stiffness of the place he was soaked in, he removed the knife, but it slipped off his hands. He groaned. Making the beast look at him. The Beast began to trace the voice, higher than the last time. It crawled up the cocoon, taking its time to find where they are. Then, it occurred to Greg that it was blind.

Greg stretched his fingers and prayed to whatever God laid in the sky to help him. There was no way God would even help him, if he ever existed. He never believed him with his heart and mind and soul as his mother had demanded of him; rather, he hated God for not answering him when he was about to lose his first love. But there was no time for that. A man must live by himself. He pulled further, and felt the tip of the knife. Even if one ought to die, he ought to die trying.

Greg pulled at the knife. The knife shifted downward. Then, it occurred to him that if the knife could go down, some part of him could do the same. He raised his leg and the knife followed it. Lest it fell, he hurriedly picked it. And would have normally counted to ten to catch his breathe, but the beast heard that movement and was desperate to get him. He gritted loudly but Bisi kept confusing the beast with her complaints and banters. She always kept shut whenever it came towards her, but she was still angry at the foolish locket and that was how she was saving him.

' Keep talking whenever it's near me', the beast scurried to his side again. Bisi talked again and the beast returned to her side.
Greg grabbed the knife and pushed it into the cocoon, but the knife bounced back. He blinked in surprise. That must be a lie. He pushed again, and again and again. That was impossible. They can't die like dogs. Even dogs have chances.

' This cannot end like this', he yelled and struck the place behind him. Then, two things happened. The beast ram into the part of his neck. Bisi screamed, taking the beast's attention from him again. And the knife has just torn the cocoon at the back. There was no logic for a porous back, but he didn't have time to prove its logic, all he needed was his life. He pushed the cocoon at the back again and was able to free his elbow. With that, tearing the back was relatively simple.

' Bisi keep it busy', he said and she nodded. Then, she sang those stupid Zulu songs he had always closed his ears against whenever she started. The song was so stupid that they sang a sentence with close to 15 seconds interval for rest. However, now, she even prolonged the time.

Now, he wasn't going to help her because she was his girlfriend and was in danger, but because she was singing that song and he had to make her stop.

The beast kept ramming into her, moving higher per time.
Greg hurried to the back of Bisi's cocoon and began to tear it.
' Greg, it's getting higher'.
' Sing'.

She continued singing to his chagrin. He groaned as he got to her head.
'Oh my God!' She screamed as the beast launched for her head. Greg pulled her away.
' Don't die on me and don't ever sing that foolish song again'.
They crept away towards the voice that was moaning. It was only Baba Jegede's head. It had also changed to zombie and was searching for food and a body.

He opened the door, just as the beast saw them.
' Run', Bisi yelled. He rushed out, making sure they closed the door. The beast kept running into the door.

' Outside', he cried as they rushed out.
Upon getting out, they didn't meet a street they used to know. They met a burning street. People were running all about, screaming. Men seemed to have armed themselves with anything they could use as weapon. He pulled Bisi off the street. Whatever was in the room, whatever was on the street, he didn't want to know their origin. All he needed there was an escape for him and his fiancé. He saw a nearest car, smashed the window, entered it and hot wired his car. He was now grateful for being inquisitive on how Jack Bauer usually did it in the movies.

queenitee:
Can I register already?

lol... Thanks. You people are really me know writing on to give the best is worth it.

Slimberry123:
Divepen1 sir, you are just too good always blowing my mind, i wish i can write half as good as wat u write... please i will definately love to buy the book

Thanks a lot.. I'll surely make it accessible for all... And you're good really good too.

castrol180:
Please can I get more blurb of this great work that is cooking?

Awww.. I'll soon..

Slimberry123:
Thank u sir for d explanation this will help the story.. but sir we need ur help drop something na

Lol... I was hoping to join soon again. I've read it to the last update and I don't want to cause accident for any of them ... lol

castrol180:
@divepen1, can I know if actually Okada books is paying up to 70% royalty for the intellectual work you display on the site. A friend just withdrew his best selling non fiction book from the site just because okada books was not doing well to him. Please can you shed more light on this as every efforts to contact Ofili has been abortive

How do you mean Okadabooks is not doing him well. Only few people should normally have access to the CEO when you can probably talk to his customers care. Meanwhile, they pay the 70% to all buyers. But you can't withdraw your money until you have gotten to 10,000 naira.

Marcus had always had a desire of things that wasn't there. Merlin, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and the funniest craziest witches he had ever read about always haunted his desire. He just wanted a feel of how they encountered things. So when the wind was blowing outside in preparation for a heavy rain, he ran to close the window. Forming in the wind was a lady forming.
' It must be a joke he muttered', he said and rubbed his eyes. He rubbed his face and the wind had returned to normal. He racked his brain for what that might have been.

He was surely hallucinating, maybe due to lack of sleep from overreading. He yawned and jumped into bed. Just then, his mother knocked.
' Marcus, Fareedat is here to see you?'
If he was ever going to have any sleep, he should have had it before Fareedat's visit. Now, she would indulge him in her gory tale of how she was in love with Sodiq and still can't stop thinking about Uche.
He yawned and walked briskly to meet her in the sitting room. However, she didn't allow him talk before she dragged him outside. She looked shaken and Marcus wished it was what he hoped. Maybe one of her lovers had really opened her eyed to the fact that he wasn't really a friend, that he loved her.
' Marcus, I saw you looking at it too... You saw it'.
' Saw it... Saw what?'
' You saw it. The image that formed'.
' Are you also hallucinating?'
' Hallu... No. That was Oya..'
' Onya.. Who is Oya? And what's she doing in such wind. Does she have death wish'.
She was more agitated. ' No.No. She's a goddess. She appeared to me in the dream. She said she had a mission for me'.
He rolled his eyes and hoped this was just one of her regular paranoia and her fear.
' It said the people that sees her in the wind are my team. I thought it was just dream'.
Marcus stared at her for a while and thought it was high time he stopped pretending he was happy with her. ' Are you here to tell me about your lovers again'.

After seeing the progress of many unplanned Collabos and planned ones, I think we can make it work by just having a genre. Then seeing the way the Romance Collabo is going, I've decided to open Threads for other genres.

Romance:
https://www.nairaland.com/3764264/scattered-petals-romance-collabo-thread

Horror:
https://www.nairaland.com/4072323/whats-horror-collabo-thread-part

Comedy
https://www.nairaland.com/4073394/shut-mouth-comedy-collabo-thread

So,
Introduce twists
Characters from other stories etc
But just know the Genre is fantasy.
Explore any method of writing. It's firstly for our fun then our creativity. Excite the next writer, make it as slow or as fast as you want. But remember it is Fantasy. Meanwhile, let's try to make it Nigerian.
Don't bother if you're not as good as others think you are, just drop the thing.
I will compile it for the review 'Be Writertained Chronicles'.
Mey we start.
Organiser: www.writertain.com

Creeza:
uwc. Am I free to write up the personal info for the protagonist too? Or just wait till the antagonist chart pops up?

Yes. You're free.

queenitee:
What did I write up there? please please don't mind me, I just decided to try

Makes sense... Like I can see trouble looming.

Obi ran off into the bathroom, trying not to scream his head off. He must have bitten his lower lips in a bid to make sure he didn't shout. He locked the door and dipped his hands into the water and groan. If anyone would hear his groan, they would think he was defecating. He dipped his hands in the green bucket of water.
He removed his hand and placed it over his head. His cousin had played him, probably his aunt was the one he didn't know.
' Obi... Where are you?'
' Toilet'.
' Oh! You've gone home again'.
He didn't not know if he should reply her, or yell at her or rush at her to accuse her of doing him bad.
' How do you see that hot iron inside the food?'.
He held his hand up and saw how it had really burn.
His aunt had deceitfully placed a very hot rod in a soup she made look like soup. He had sneaked into the kitchen to pick meat as was fond of. However when he dipped his hands in the cool pot of soup, he grasped a very hot rod. It took him a great while not to scream.
' I didn't see any iron'.
' Indeed', she mocked.
Obi knew he would revenge, big time.

After seeing the progress of many unplanned Collabos and planned ones, I think we can make it work by just having a genre. Then seeing the way the Romance Collabo is going, I've decided to open Threads for other genres.


Romance:
https://www.nairaland.com/3764264/scattered-petals-romance-collabo-thread

Horror:
https://www.nairaland.com/4072323/whats-horror-collabo-thread-part#60723788

So,
Introduce twists
Characters from other stories etc
But just know the Genre is Comedy.
Explore any method of writing. It's firstly for our fun then our creativity. Excite the next writer, make it as slow or as fast as you want. But remember it is Comedy
Don't bother if you're not as good as others think you are, just drop the thing.
I will compile it for the review 'Be Writertained Chronicles'.
Mey we start.

Organiser: www.writertain.com

Last week started the top ten books on Okadabooks and here is this week's own.
1.



Last week's number 2 moves to the first position this week.

Author: Tunde Leye

Price: ₦ 100
Description:

It doesn’t actually take as much as most people think it takes to fall in love. I was twenty seven and not so fresh out of school. I graduated at twenty from a Babcock University and was through with NYSC by twenty one. And as if I was walking on some gilded star, I landed a lucrative job as the assistant to the senior assistant to the directors of a major oil and gas firm (yes, assistants have their own assistants ). Over time, I have grown in the business, and three years ago, one of the directors decided to venture out on his own when the firm refused to take a risk and pursue a certain deal. As a sharp Lagos girl, I had rightly guessed that the deal was gold and so I moved with him when he set up. It wasn’t easy in that first year, moving from the comfort and certainty of my first office but now, we are a thriving oil and gas firm, and I am the senior assistant to him, the sole owner. I am more or less the next most powerful person in the company after him. And I am just twenty seven with my own house in Lekki Phase 1, a state of the art SUV and an official salon car with my own driver. And yes, I now have my own assistants. I was a bigz girlz, and I enjoyed life to the fullest, like Wizkid sang London today, Lagos tomorrow, Reks baybay lokeloke, omo jaiye jaiye *pauses to play the song and do an Azonto to it *. Back to the story...see what happened next



2. Last week's number 6 moves up to be this week's number 2

Title: The Love Triangle


Author: The Fertile Chick

Category: Romance

Price: ₦ 300
Description:

Fola loves Jimi. Jimi loves Dolly...or Fola...or Dolly. The epic love triangle between the sisters and Jimi, that lasted two decades.

3.Title: 29, Single & Nigerian
Author: Naija Singlegirl

Category: Fiction

Language: English

Price: ₦ 900
Description:

Edikan is naïve, materialistic, incredibly thirsty and bordering on delusional. This lady has nothing going for her and is completely unprepared for ‘adulting’. You would think the reverse would be the case, considering her background, but it turns out growing up in poverty doesn’t necessarily make you realistic. This book is absolutely hilarious; but it’s not all fun and games and in the midst of the humor, the author touches on some serious issues. Like the experiences of unemployed graduates in this current clime, with unscrupulous people looking to swindle you at every point , everybody’s obsession with marriage in this country, and the patriarchal system that dictates that a woman is nothing if she doesn’t have a man.

4. Last week's number one
Title: Dangerous Passion Author: Tomilola Coco Adeyemo Category: Romance

Price: ₦ 750

Description:

Toni had always been a good girl, or at least, the closest version to what it was to be a good girl. And even though her life was uneventful and she was bored stiff years after her German husband, Michael Garrn passed, she was still clueless on how to truly lose herself until she met Olumide, the strip club owner. Olumide ‘Black Devil’ Okubanjo was the quintessential bad boy; he had the looks, the body and of course the attitude. He also did really dangerous things and he was on a mission in Toni’s life. However, one moment of passion was all these two needed for their lives to change but they also weren’t prepared for the dark secrets that would not only shake their very foundation but might have them both killed.

5. Moving two step upward from Last week's number 7


Title: Till Day Breaks (Eiba Family Saga Book 3)

Author: Sinmisola Ogúnyinka

Category: Romance

Price: ₦ 100

Description:

Kade Eiba is the successful MD of Decoy Holdings. To crown his business success was his engagement to Joyce King, a model who had won the most coveted world beauty title, Miss World. The duo had everything going for them. Then one day, a lady called Joy walked into the plush grounds of Decoy Holdings and nothing remained the same for anyone. In a tale of fantasy and faith, retribution and reality, Kade’s once organized life is thrown into confusion; his toughest principles put to the hardest tests and his deepest convictions forced to answer the oddest of questions.

6

Title: Even the Lawful Captive (A True Dream novel)

Author: Sinmisola Ogúnyinka

Category: Romance

Price: ₦ 100

Description:

A TRUE DREAM novel is a short fiction story told from the character point-of-view on the romantic journey to getting married. It is true romance that should leave you warm and dreamy. Afoma, like all the other girls and men in Chief’s estate feared the guy called ‘Texas.’ He had a reputation for being brutal, and never failed to execute his assignments to perfection. Afoma never imagined Texas would take any interest in her. But then he did, and like all his other assignments, was bent on succeeding in having a relationship with her. But a relationship with Texas would jeopardize everything Afoma lived for, including her life.

7.
Title: Freddie Untangled (The Essiens #7)

Author: Kiru Taye
Category: Romance
Price: ₦ 899

Description:

Kike has struggled for years to break out of the chains of her marriage to Lekan. After moving out of the Ogun estate, she has to cope with condemnation not just from family and friends but from unseen followers as the story of her relationship with Freddie becomes media fodder. She’s finally free to love a man who loves her but is she about to lose everything else that matters to her? Freddie has a new family—Kike and the kids—and he has to pull out all the stops if he is to outwit a powerful sociopathic pastor as well as and deal with ghosts from his past that come to haunt him. He will do whatever it takes to keep the woman he loves safe but the price might be his sanity and his life. Lekan is not about to give up on a woman he sees as his property and uses every weapon in his arsenal to get Kike back, including following through on the threats he made. With the odds stacked up against Kike and Freddie, is a happy future together even possible? Will they ever be out of Lekan’s reach? This story unravels in two instalments—this is the second part and not a standalone. The first part, Freddie Entangled is out now.

8.
Title: Baba Risi

Author: Tunde Leye

Description:

Court! Order! The clerk shouted, banging his hand on the well worn exercise book on the table. Only, this clerk was not wearing a suit, he was wearing a colorful Ankara outfit with a sideways matching cap. The room was a medium sized one, with plastic chairs arranged neatly in two sets of four columns, leaving an aisle in the middle. The clerk sat on small wooden chair behind the desk he was banging in the space in front of the room. In the center of the front, an elevated, padded chair was behind a desk not unlike the clerk’s own, but much bigger. This was Baba Risi’s courtroom. See, in this area, we don’t take our disputes to the police or the courts. That’s too long and clumsy, and we really don’t understand all the grammars those people speak. Baba Risi is the chairman of the boys in the area and his court is where we settle everything. Matters are decided promptly, we understand what is being said and God help you if you disobey the judgments. Awon boys will deal with you ruthlessly. So we trust Baba Risi to deliver and he has been doing that for twenty years in our community now. Enjoy the adventures and activities of Baba Risi’s court!
9.
TISHA

Author: Sinmisola Ogúnyinka Category: Fiction

Price: ₦ 100

Description:

Abbey Ilori, a Lagos student teacher is posted to Abagboro Community High School, a secondary school in a remote village far from his home and all he is used to, as part of the requirements for his university degree in Post-primary Education. Abbey must cope with teaching English to local children who speak nothing but their dialect, and at the same time endure the rudiments of living in a village. There he meets Toro, another student teacher from another state, and they develop a close bond. But new arrivals of four graduates on the National Youth Service Corps programme will change the colours of Abbey’s stay and successful completion of his programme in Abagboro village. Throw in Abbey’s infatuation with one of his beautiful students, Bisi, and the intrigues that surround the girl makes Tisha a beautiful tale of survival in the toughest terrains, a touch of romance and a daunting race against evil men.

10.

Accidentally Knocked Up 1: Not Quite A Razz Girl

Author: The Fertile Chick

Category: Romance

Price: ₦ 150;

Description:

After enduring a traumatic childhood and a very volatile long-term relationship, Ose finally finds her life falling into place. She meets and falls in love with the perfect guy, and things couldn't be better. Or so she thinks...until a drunken encounter leaves her accidentally knocked up!

http://writertain.com/2017/09/23/okada/

I have. But I'm not going.

Next
You can only give one of this information. But have the chance to add another feature after two people have theirs


Protagonist

Special name: If he/ she has, why? Who calls him or her that name?
Nickname: If there is any what is its origin. Does he/ she love that name?

Dates
Date of birth.
Time ( if it is significant)
Which celebrity was born that same day
How was the weather that day
Any major event that happen that day

Creeza:
Antagonist name : Miss Jillian Obinna

Thanks

Twinkiet2:
Divepen1 I need your opinion here... PamelB, Cbella, Pearl05,Soulhoho

Quote your conversations. Make sure they are either in the double or single inverted commas A.K.A Quotation mark.


You can check this out.
http://writertain.com/2017/08/31/gordon-kellers-4-common-errors-of-conversation/



But your plot is looking good.